What Is The Purpose Of Life?

Bad Antogast, Germany

Questions & Answers

When you feel that everything is going to stay here, but I am going to die one day, and everything appears meaningless, what you do appears to be meaningless, at this time I would like you to read Yoga Vasistha.

You can play the Yoga Vasistha CDs and listen to it, or take the book and read it. You will understand the nature of consciousness; who you are, what you are.

This feeling that everything is meaningless, there is no point, why are we here, why this universe; these questions indicate a very mature intellect. This is the right time to go deep into knowledge.

Vedic wisdom will also help you.

It is very fortunate; you should feel very happy that you got this question. Many people don’t feel this for a very long time. So when you feel it, you should think, ‘Oh I am so fortunate!’

Gurudev, can you please talk about the Devi (a Divine stone bought to the Bangalore ashram)

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:

How many of you saw that?

It is a stone, and if you ask it a question, such as, ‘Will it snow tomorrow? If it will snow then you become heavy, and if it will not snow, then you become light.’

Then the stone will become very light if it is going to snow. If it is not going to snow the stone will become so heavy that you cannot lift it at all. So the stone has that consciousness, prana in it.

Some 2600 years back, some saint induced prana into the stone. It is called prana pratishta. There is a she energy in it.

This Mother Divine energy (in the stone) came to the ashram, and has been there for the last 4 to 5 months. Any question you ask, it responds. Suppose you ask, 'Will I get married next year, if yes then become heavy, if I won’t then become light', then the stone become light or heavy depending on the answer.

It so happened that there was a gentleman who was an atheist. He never believed in God. And he was in the Indian Air force. When he retired at the age of 60, with the money he got he bought a farm house. And in the farm house he found this stone.

Then the Mother Divine, Devi came to him in his dream and said, ‘Look, I am here’ (in the stone).

First he freaked out. His wife said, 'Let’s sell this'.

Then he said from then on his whole life was transformed. So he came with that stone to our Bangalore ashram.

Usually she does not go anywhere (referring to the Mother Divine in the stone).

He asked her, ‘If the President of India calls you, will you go? She said, ‘No’.

He asked her, ‘If Gurudev calls, will you go? She said, ‘Yes.’

She gives permission to only two persons to touch and lift her as of now, myself and that man who owns it. And she said (to the owner), 'You go to Gurudev's ashram. He is there'. And so he came to the ashram.

He was so shocked and surprised when she said this. He said, 'I asked her a hundred times and a hundred times she said, ‘Take me there'.’ It’s interesting!

Sometime, we will bring her here to Germany. She said wherever I go she will come with me. The stone has said she will come. So we will bring her here.

We had several scientists come and they were all fascinated. They didn’t know what to think about it. The stone becomes as heavy as 200 hundred kilos; you cannot even lift it if the answer is no. If the answer is yes, then you can lift it like a feather.

Something can become as light as a feather, or so heavy that you cannot even lift it off the ground. It’s a challenge to science.

What is Kailash?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:

Kailash is a mountain, it is in China. It is a very tough journey. It takes several weeks.

So many times people have asked me to come, but I say the Alps are equally snowy and nice.
It is the same as going to Switzerland. In Switzerland you have comfortable roads and comfortable places. There you have to be in tents and in the cold, there is no heating. If you want to take an adventure where there are no tress, tough cold weather, walking long distance, higher altitude, difficulty in oxygen and all that, you can take a journey there (to Kailash).

Kailash means where there is only joy. Las means joy; positive energy. Kailash means where there is only positive energy; only celebration. That’s Kailash. That’s life! And that vibration you can generate anywhere!
I feel wherever I am, we generate such a positive atmosphere. You don’t need to go to a place to find positive energy.

There is a proverb in Sanskrit which says, wherever people meditate, wherever the saints are, that becomes a holy place. There is a saint in every one of you. If you all sit and meditate the atmosphere becomes much lighter.

Of course, in Kailash there are no people, no housing, there is no inhabitation there, but people go. It is okay for them to go. Personally I am not saying you will get some special energy only when you go there. No! It is right here (indicating the heart area). You go in, you will find that energy.

(A member of the audience asked a question which was inaudible)

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:

Why do you think sex is negative? Through sex only everybody has come.

'Sex is the original sin', this is what people have been made to believe in the past. Sex is not a sin. Sex is a basis. Any plant, human, animal, anything comes out of it. That is okay.

But there is a difference between bliss and sex. Sex is energy draining and bliss is energy conserving. One is energy consuming the other is energy conserving. That is the thing.

Is a diet of raw food good for the body?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:

Raw food is good but don’t overdo it. When we overdo it then it is no good.

Our system from several generations is used to cooked food. According to Ayurveda, it is said if you have too much raw food, you will have vatta imbalance. Vatta imbalance means some jitteriness in the system.

For short periods of time, it is good to follow a raw food diet. It is a good cleaning agent. And on a daily basis also, more of raw food and little bit of cooked food, especially in the cold season. In winter you should have warm food also. That’s my personal opinion. You should try and see how your body responds to it.

I think it is very individualistic. Food cannot be a generalized idea.